It is known for a clay pigeon trap to comprise a tubular shaft provided at one end with a casing and having pivot means to provide an adjustable swivel mounting to enable setting in a desired orientation, the pivot means including a pivot pin adapted to be rotatably fitted in a bearing housing of a mounting member which can be fixed to a suitable external support such as, for example, a tree stump or outcrop, means being provided to lock the mounting after the tubular shaft has been set in its required position. The casing contains a bearing which rotatably supports the pivot shaft of a throwing arm which is angularly movable between a rearwardly-directed position lying substantially alongside the tubular shaft and an opposite forwardly-directed position and which is provided with a longitudinal strip or rail along its upper side to support a clay pigeon which rolls along the length of the arm during projection in a throwing stroke. The pivot shaft projects perpendicularly from the underside of the throwing arm, and a short extension provides a mounting for one end of a strong coil spring. The other end of the coil spring is fixed to the upper side of the tubular shaft, and the arrangement is such that the coil spring applies a spring loading to the throwing arm and biases said arm to its forwardly-directed position extending away from, but in line with, the tubular shaft. Catch means with a releasable trigger are provided to maintain the throwing arm, against the spring loading, in its rearwardly-directed position alongside the tubular shaft prior to firing.
Known traps of the above kind generally function satisfactorily, but the operation thereof is subject to certain drawbacks. In particular, a substantial effort is usually necessary for initially spring loading the throwing arm and as the coil spring is heavily tensioned the trap is difficult to set and handle. Also, a substantial effort is usually necessary for releasing the catch and it is not generally practicable to utilise an automatic time release device for this purpose.